LeithfieldSchool - Cyber Safety

This Page is Dedicated to Exploring Cyber Safety. Schools need to do all that they can to keep kids safe online at school. You can use internet filters, have cyber safe policies, teach lessons on staying safe, and educate the wider community about what they can be doing at home to keep our kids cyber safe.

This page provides information, links and resources to assist:

Schools as they develop cyber protocols and policies
Teachers in establishing cyber safety in their class
In consultation with parents and the wider community
Students in the development of their cyber safety awarenes

Why the internet is essential in education

Free resources! Saves planning time for teachers.
All the information you could ever want at your finger tips.
Connects their classroom to the world.
It allows students to learn by doing. It presents them with real life situations.
It can bring schools and communities closer together. Blogs and Wikis create a portal between the classroom and home. Parents don’t have to visit the school to keep in touch with what their child is learning about.
The internet helps celebrate student success and achievement with the rest of the world. The students have a wider audience (not just their teacher).
The New Zealand Curriculum requires teachers to make learning meaningful and relevant not only locally but globally.
It ENGAGES and MOTIVATES students.
Today’s students are “digital natives” We cannot expect to teach them using 20th Century methods. They are 21st Century learners, we need to teach them with 21st Century tools.

Why internet education is important

Young people are likely to come across a range of different material when exploring the internet. While a lot of this material will be fun, educational or informative, some of the content they view or post may be upsetting or cause them distress, or distress to others.
Internet safety and eduction is important because no software or internet filter is 100% reliable.
It is not about banning a student from the internet, it is about educating them on staying safe and appropriate when online, no matter what the situation.
Some offensive material could inevitably slip through filters. Technology shouldn't be a babysitter and considered the solution. It's a tool available to help knowledgeable parents enforce their choices, nothing more. It's not a magic wand.

What schools should be doing to keep students safe

All schools will have an internet or Cyber Safety policy.
The policies will contain guidelines that will be reviewed by the BOT.
The policies will have a set of rules for students and teachers.
Policies that have a permission form that parents and students must sign in order to be allowed access at school and include clear rules for posting of student photos.
Policies will vary from school to school. However experience shows there is one overriding rule that is used in all Primary/Intermediate schools in NZ. SUPERVISION: Students cannot use the Internet without a teacher in the room.

What should teachers be doing?

Have a sound reason for using the internet. Ensure the benefits far outweigh the risks so you can justify its use if challenged.
Commit yourself to learning the ‘ins and outs’ of how your wiki/blog works. Before you open it up to students, be aware of ways you can administer and monitor your site.
Involve students in the process of setting up your wiki/blog - educate rather than avoid the issues that could arise.
Have clear boundaries within your classroom in regards to what is appropriate on your wiki/blog.
Avoid posting photos with full names on wikis/blogs.
If in any doubt, leave photos off altogether- just publish work.
If you’re uncertain about student participation, use a wiki/blog purely as a communicative tool between school and home. e.g homework, newsletters, term calendar, etc.
Post as much of your students work online as possible! Its a great way for students to share their work with family and friends.